Last week, the Homeless World Cup was held at Hanyang University. The Homeless World Cup is a football tournament with a purpose: they focus on using football to support and inspire homeless individuals to change their lives. To be honest, even though I come from South America where football is part of our everyday life, I don’t know much about the sport. But when I saw the volunteer application notice, I knew I had to give it a try.

I applied for the volunteer position not knowing what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by everything that happened during the tournament week. My role was being a "Team Guide." We were responsible for guiding the teams around the tournament venue, interpreting for them, and assisting with whatever they needed. Most of the time, I was assigned as the guide for the Argentinian team. It was the first time in five years that I spoke Spanish for such an extended period, and I realized I was having trouble remembering words in my own mother tongue!

One of the moments that stood out to me was my first conversation with the coach for team Argentina. We were watching the players stretching and warming up when he said, "You know, this isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about giving these boys better experiences and the ability to dream big. Every year, we bring new players to fulfill their dreams. Do you think these guys ever imagined they’d make it to the other side of the world?" I knew exactly what he meant because I was like them. I never thought I’d be able to come to Korea, and if it weren’t for a scholarship, I wouldn’t have even been able to dream about it. That was when I truly realized how important this tournament was.

But moving on from the sentimental talk to the overall experience: I think the Argentinian team was the most social of all the teams. Thanks to them, I met so many people, and even though the Colombian team wasn’t able to participate this year, I was able to meet Colombian journalists and players from other teams . Team Argentina also always made sure I was comfortable and didn’t struggle too much with the heat. As volunteers, we were already provided with our own meal vouchers, but they always offered to share their own food too.

This was also my first time acting as a tour guide. I’ve lived in Seoul for four years, but I found myself searching the internet for activities for them to do that I hadn’t even done myself! In the end, I can say they had a great time exploring Seoul, even though I was worried they could get lost. For the Argentinian team, I only have something to say: You guys are the sweetest!